How big a hole in stand top for plumbing?

[Gopi]

My new 90 gallon reef ready should be in to the LFS on Thursday. It'll have a corner overflow with the typical 1in and 3/4 inch holes drilled on the bottom.

My stand has a solid plywood top and I need to make the holes for the plumbing. I was going to cut a rectangle out because I wanted to make sure I'd have plenty of room to work. I was discussing this with some people at work and they offered a 2 inch hole cutter bit. I feel like making two holes will be easier than me trying to cut a rectangle out. (I'm scared that the horizontal brace might be in the way.)

Is a 2in hole big enough or should I go with the rectangle opening? If a rectangle, how big should I make it?
(I'm strongly leaning towards Herbie drain over Durso if that matters)

 

[Thunderfan]

Are you going to use schedule 40 bulkheads? The flange on the nut for my 1"schedule 40 bulkheads are more like 2 1/2". 2"would work for the 3/4" but you will need a 3" hole for the 1". Depending on how close they made your hooked in the tank the 2 holes in the stand might overlap. Might be easier to cut a hole big enough for both. Draw your cut out for the rectangle and use the hole saw to make 2 holes in the corners then use a Sawzall or jig saw to cut your rectangle. If you use the herbie don't forget you will need a gate valve to tune it. If you have a grainger in your area I bought one from them for half what they are at brs.

 

[Gopi]

The tank comes with a 'complete plumbing kit' so I'm not sure about the bulkheads. I believe its a marineland tank and they use abs bulkheads. Guess I'll have to wait until the tank is here to see what I need to do.

I love the idea of making holes and then cutting out the excess. You have been so helpful with this build!

 

[phillrodrigo]

This is the one reason I love my holes in the glass on the back of the tank. If I have a issue with the bulkheads it's not a big deal.

 

[Thunderfan]

One thing i don't know and someone will come in I'm sure. The bulkheads are long so it may be possible to tighten the nut on the wood underneath. If that's the case you would only need to make the hole a little bigger than the threaded part of the bulkheads. You could look on brs at their glass hole saws and see which size for each bulkhead. The hole saw measurement will be metric but you can Google a conversion pretty easy. Personally I would want it tighten glass to glass or as close as I could get but, I haven't done a set up like yours. If you look at tank/stand combos in the lfs the stand holes are not much bigger than the tank holes. That's the only reason I bring it up.

If your plumbing kit does not have a gate valve you will have to have one for herbie. I did a bean animal and will never do any other kind on tanks larger than 40. Problem with reef ready tanks is you can't do a bean animal with what they give you. I can't wait to see how this all works out for you.

 

[Thunderfan]

This is the one reason I love my holes in the glass on the back of the tank. If I have a issue with the bulkheads it's not a big deal.

Me too, I almost bought a reef ready tank and I am very glad I didn't. Initially it was to save a few bucks but, now I realize it's the best way to go in my opinion.

 

[mfinn]

Don't be afraid to give them plenty of room.
I see people cut holes in the top of their stands barely bigger than the hole and you wouldn't believe how much of a pita it is to work on.

 

[Gopi]

yeah yeah...I did want to drill the back and do bean animal but I'm in over my head with the stands and these new floors (which are looking great!). Adding in tryin to drill the glass just pushes me over the edge.

I would have ordered back drilled had it been an option. You'd think living in a major city I'd have lot of LFS and ordering options, but I really don't. The one store that everyone raves about- and is certainly the cleanest and most knowledgeable I've found here in the last 4 years- I think is just OK. (I guess my time Silicon Valley set my expectations pretty high. But even my LFS in Illinois had more options and stock!) Ordering from other places was just too far out of my price range.

I definitely want the bulkheads glass to glass. I actually got the rectangle idea from the stand at the LFS. They have a 75 on a stand with a long rectangle cut out for the plumbing that is much larger than necessary. (I was not prepared to climb inside to take measurements though.) Buying another MDF stand was just not going to happen either (especially at $300!).

I'm definitely hitting up a plumbing specialty store near me for the gate valve and maybe schedule 26 PVC (thinner). At least I have a lockline return jet since I ran a HOB overflow on the 55. I'll have to redo the plumbing from the pump since the tank is taller...and I probably need to upgrade the return pump too... I can't even remember what it is right now.

 

[Thunderfan]

I went to a couple plumbing places in our area asking about pvc gate valves and they looked at my line I had a third eye. Brs has them for about $35. I paid $16 something from grainger supply. I bet you have one in your area.

By the way lots of people have reef ready tanks and are fantastic. I am sure yours will be great and had I not been trying to be a cheap skate on this build I would probably have one also and not know any different.

 

[Gopi]

Ooo. I do have a Grainger Supply...now to try to get there before they close at 5 on Friday...

 

[Thunderfan]

Call them because mine didn't have one on the shelf but, they got it in the next day.

 

[Gopi]

Good idea. The gate valve goes below the bulkhead (so in the stand vs on the standpipe) right? I guess it can wait awhile...I still haven't gotten the glass cut for the sump :sad: I've been working on my stand doors in between playing 'musical furniture' while i get the next rooms emptied for flooring tomorrow. Sane me wouldn't have done this all at once but since the tanks had to come down anyway...

 

[Thunderfan]

You will want to put a union first then the valve. So, bulkhead, union, valve, then into sump. Hopefully you have room for all that. You have to be able to get to the valve because if I'm not mistaken the herbie system needs to be adjusted sometimes. Which is why you put a gate valve. Remember unions are your friend in tight spaces if you have to take things apart.

 

[phillrodrigo]

I go bulkhead valve union. That way it shuts water off if you have to take the union off to clean. You have a Reef ready tank I guess it's not a big deal either way. What ever is easier to reach

 

[AZDesertRat]

Use threaded bulkheads, a threaded PVC nipple and a threaded ball valve on the return side and no valve on the overflow side since it will not be needed. No union is needed at this point since you are using threaded fittings and you should have a short piece of vinyl tubing or possible a union at the return pump only a foot or two from the bulkhead for disassembly and cleaning.

The reef ready tank will probably have only two drilled holes, one for the overflow standpipe and one for the return so use a simple Stockman or Durso style standpipe, both have been around for decades and work great without complicating things or risking a flood. An overflow should be kept simple in my opinion and the Stockman has worked flawlessly in my 100G reef for over 11 years now.

Make the hole for the plumbing large enough you can get either channelocks or a strap wrench in to tighten the jamb nut on the bulkhead.

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/eq...iltration/34973-installing-bulkhead-tips.html

Bulkhead Installation Tips | 3reef Aquarium Forums

Here is a good basic primer on sumps from Melev.
http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html

 

[Thunderfan]

Use threaded bulkheads, a threaded PVC nipple and a threaded ball valve on the return side and no valve on the overflow side since it will not be needed. No union is needed at this point since you are using threaded fittings and you should have a short piece of vinyl tubing or possible a union at the return pump only a foot or two from the bulkhead for disassembly and cleaning.

The reef ready tank will probably have only two drilled holes, one for the overflow standpipe and one for the return so use a simple Stockman or Durso style standpipe, both have been around for decades and work great without complicating things or risking a flood. An overflow should be kept simple in my opinion and the Stockman has worked flawlessly in my 100G reef for over 11 years now.

Make the hole for the plumbing large enough you can get either channelocks or a strap wrench in to tighten the jamb nut on the bulkhead.

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/eq...iltration/34973-installing-bulkhead-tips.html

Bulkhead Installation Tips | 3reef Aquarium Forums

Here is a good basic primer on sumps from Melev.
How does a sump work? | Melev's Reef

Do you have any issues with salt creep through threaded parts? I was advised to keep threaded parts to a minimum because of salt creep.

I have seen stockman and dorso set ups and the onei have seen where pretty loud. Granted they may not have been set up correctly but, they where very established tanks. As far as overflow yet worked fine but made noise. Mine is set up in my living room so has to be as silent as possible. My drain makes absolutly zero noise. No gurgling, no splashing, no bubbles. The op doesn't have the option of running a bean animal drain but, can run a herbie which is the next best thing. Although if the are only 2 hole in the overflow that changes things. She could run an over the top return to be able to use both holes for the drain. In my opinion this would be worth doing but, if she doesn't want to she will be limited to doing the stockman or dorso.

If your aquarium is a standard type marineland or similar with trim you don't even need the plywood on top because the tank sits on the trim around the exterior. Most factory stands are open top.

 

[AZDesertRat]

I have never had any reason or desire to switch to a dual overflow or have a back up. Keep it simple has worked for me for a couple decades now. The Stockman is dead silent when you drill a hole in the cap just large enough for a piece of airline tubing to slide down in it snugly then slowly the tube up and down until you reach the sweet spot. The difference is dramatic and you can tell right away when it is correct. The proper air/water mixture is critical.
For kicks I bought a couple "maggie muffler" standpipe caps which are basically a ready made Stockman but was not happy with them even after drilling and modifying them similar to my old DIY Stockman which I went back to. The tank is in my family room so needed to be very quiet which it is.

 

[Thunderfan]

The ones I saw probably didn't have that mod done. It makes sense that would keep the noise down.

 

[KorD]

I through a 2.5 inch hole through my sting.. gives me plenty of room for fittings, and also lets me run a couple of cords through the hole for lights and also powerheads.

 

[Gopi]

I already have the parts for return over the back of the tank since I was running a hob overflow previously. That's what my plan was for doing Herbie. They haven't even started the floors in our kitchen/fish nook so looks like I'll have plenty of time to consider options.

The stand is completed and trimmed...the plywood top is staying on.